mrf MM
illl Ji l: II l
: .
VOL. 2.--M 51.
BY S. B. KOW.
CLEARFIELD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST G, 1856.
DO YOD REALLY THINK HE DID 1
I waited till the twilight,
; . And yet he did not eomXs
I strayed along the brook-side,
And slowly wandered home :
When who should come behind me,
. , Hut him I would have bid ;
lie said he came to find me
'. Do you really think he did?
lie said that since wc parted,
lie thought of naught so sweet,
As of the very moment.
The moment we should meet,
.lie show'd me where, half shaded,
A cottage home lay hid,
lie said fur me he made it
Do you really think he did ?
lie said when first he saw me,
Life seemed at once divine
Each night he dreamed of angels,
And every face was mine.
Sometimes a voice, when sleeping,
Would all his hopes forbkl,
And then he waked up weeping
lo you really think he did ?
A RACE FOR LIFE,
Or a Steepla Cha83 on the Prairie.
The first of June, 1843 ! Seven years ago !
Ilow stranger than fiction it seems that on this
seventh anniversary of that eventful day, after
traversing all the vicissitudes of experience,
after boxing the compass of life's stormy sea,
and shaking hands with every extremity of fur
tune, I should be seated at last in this quiet
little sanctum ; the hum of that mighty city,
which was then the goal of all our hopes a
round me ; the wild freedom of the illimitable
prairies exchanged ior the confines of a dingy
office; my snorting charger discharged lor
this old arm chair ; the badge of the pioneer
laid aside for a more peaceful weapon, this
"gray goose quill."
It was on this day scv.en years ago. Eighty
five of us, weary wanderers over the trackless
prairies, were day after day and month after
month toiling onward to this land of gold,
whose lolly sierras and summer plains have
since gathered to their eternal embrace so ma
ny members of that gallant youthful band. It
was Sunday in the wilderness; the wagons all
"corralled"' on the banks of the "Little Blue,"
the toil-worn mule scattered around, joyfully
cropping the grass under the watchful vigi
lance of the guard. Some cf the party were
bathing in the clear stream, some cooking.
mending clothes, washing, lounging, or siuok
ing,and all enjoying to the full a glorious sun
shiny day of rest and indolence, when some
evil genius possessed me with a sudden desire
to be the first of the party to slay tho long ex
pected "buffalo," an animal we had not yet
encountered, but which now begun to be the
constant theme of conversation p.nd conjec
ture. - Several of the boys were hunting tur
keys in the margin of the timber, which skirt
ed the river, so that when I saddled up my
steed, and, with rifle at my saddle-bow, started
out to the northward, the few who observed my
departure exchanged sly winkU,niy proba
ble disappointment, but never dVefhied of the
thrilling adventure that I wasso rashly rush
ing into.
Although we knew that we were about the
confines of the Pawnee Territories, and had
indeed been warned by a convoy of trappers,
whom we had met but a few days previous, re
turning from their distant wintering ground in
the mountains, that war parties were out, yet,
confident in our numbers, and the entire ina
bility of our unpracticed eyes to detect any
traces of them, we had attributed the well
meant warning of the old mountaineers rather
to a spirit of news mongering than anything
'else, and rather despised those wild Bedouins
of the prairies of whom wc heard so much,
but had as yet failed to see.
Far away over the beautiful undulating ar.d
vernal bosom of the trackless prairies I rode
gently along, on the qui rive for any indica
tions of the object of my desires, but though
I eagerly scanned the horizon as I proceeded,
not a living thing met my eye3 except a few
antelopes, whose wary caution ar.d quick per
ception rendered them impossible of appioach
upon the open prairies.
Far as the vision could reach, nought but a
monotonously undulating surface of gently
swelling and naked hills, covered only by the
buffalo grass and flowers of every hue, extend
ed in every direction towards the fair horizon,
when the blue sky of summer kissed the dis
tant hills glowing in the fresh verdure of the
advancing season.
Struck with the voiceless solitude of tsfs
untrodden dosert, I lode slowly, along, lazily
musing on the strange vicissitudes which so
suddenly translated me from college halls to
this wild scene, and hid almost imperceptibly
placed some seven or eight miles between rae
Camp, when, far in the distance, directly in
front of me, I discerned a column of dust,
which, as I supposed, betokened the long de
sired buffalo. Away went romance and reflec
tion. The ardor of the hunter took posses
sion of me, and hastily loosening my pistols
and glancing at my ride's lock, I struck spins
to my steed and galloped forward.never doubt
ing that the opportunity so ardently coveted
was now at hand.
Charging down the hill and across the intcr-
Tening valley, I rose another gently swelling
roll of the prairie, and as I gained the summit,
again the moving clond of dust met my gaze,
and this time considerably nearer, and, as 1
closely regarded it, I perceived that it was ra
pldly approaching, and I began to discern the
flashing of bright objects gloaming out from
fcs'otscnriry. This looked less like buffa
lo. As the object, whatever it might be, con
tinued to approach, I halted for a better view,
and was not long in making out a band of
mounted Indians, their snow-white shields and
burnished lance-heads glancing brightly in
the morning sun.
Still, however, I scarcely thought of Paw
nees, but supposed it might be some hunting
party of friendly Pctiawatomics or Sioux;
and, at all events, knowing the mettle and
power of my horse, and having a retreat at
pleasure, I thought I incurred no great risk by
waiting for a more satisfactory inspection.
Gradually across the broad expanse of the prai
rie, they drew nearer and nearer, now disap
pearing from view in crossing soma concealed
hollow, end again displayed in bold relief a
gainst the sky as they surmounted some pro
minent ridge.
At length their distance was diminished to
less than a quarter of a mile and thinking a
nearer acquaintance undesirable, I tume'd my
horse's head, with a view of riding moderate
ly towards the camp, till they should manifest
some design to pursue me ; when imagine the
chill of horror Which curdled my blood, as I
saw two smaller parties in my fear, gallopirg
together from either side to cut oil my retreat,
and heard the terrible yell which all three rais
ed, as they saw their wild manoeuvre discover
ed, and that further silence would be useless.
Whilst the main body had continued to at
tract my attention by advancing conspicuous
ly towards me, these two parties had taken ad
vantage of the numerous hollows, which at
times had concealed them temporarily from
view, to diverge, and by a wide circuit, attain
my rear, I, greenhorn that I was, never dream
ing of th:3 common Indian stratagem, while
stupidly regarding the first and only object
which attracted my gaze. The two intercept
ing parties were rapidly converging towards
the line of my retreat, and were alreaJy with
in a quarter of a mile of each other, while I
was no more than half the distance from tho
centre. The main body,with a fearful whoop,
dashed on to close me in.
My horse was fleet and true, but he was also
travel-worn and fatigued. Ilow long could he
distance those wild coursers of the desert.even
if I escaped the immediate danger 7 iiut there
was no time to deliberate. Now or never was
the chance. Another moment would be too
late. Grasping my rifle with a firmer clutch,
and re-assuring with caressing words the fright
ened sfeed, who alone could save me from a
horrible fate, I made a bold dash for the inter
val which still seperated tho detached parties,
and upon which they were rapidly closing.
Nobly the gallant animal responded to the
call. Snorting with terror at the wild shouts
of our pursuers, trembling in every limb with
the intensit3- of his exertions, he flew over the
ground, and with the fieetncs3 of the wind, he
dashed between the approaching hordes,within
a hundred yards of i:s on either hand.
"With tho energy of despair I grasped the
saddle with my knees, and bent forward to as
sist his flying course. On, on, towards the on
ly hope of safety, fifty yelling demons hard
upon our tracks, their blankets and finery fly
ing in the wind, onward we sped, pursuers
and pursued, over the broad expanse of that
prairie ocean.
Soon the fiectness and blood of my Ameri
can curser began to tell on the enduring but
slower-footed mustangs of the Indians. Some
of the worst mounted were gradually dropping
to the rear, and after running two or three
miles they were strung out in a long line be
hind me. Gradually I slackened my speed,
for I well knew that the bottom ar.d endurance
of Indian horses, accustomed to traverse im
mense distances at a single stretch is almost
without limit, and many a long mile was still
before us. Again they would diminish the
distance, and again I was obliged to urge my
jaded steed to his best efforts.
But I was begining to breathe freer, the
first startling alarm was over, half the distance
. ... n
was accompiisiie-vi. it my g-aaam gr.c-y couia
but maintain his tremendous exertions but
four miles more I was safe. Once in sight of
camp and the prudence of my wild pursuers
would glance but once at the eighty American
rides which would gleam from Le.und our
waon wheels.
I was descending a long but gentle inclina
tion towards a broad level depression in the
prairie which spread out about a couple of
hundred yards wide at its base. My savage
pursuers were for a moment out of sight be
hind the ridge I had crossed. I reached the
foot of the hill at full speed ; my steed plun
ged forward on what seemed hard ground ;
and, O, despair ! sank to his belly in a treach
erous swamp! Ah! can the gathering years
of all futurity ever blot from my memory the
despair of that awful moment ? Ilow far this
seemingly impossible barrier extended up and
down the rivulet which divided it, I could
not guess. A terrible yell burst from the ex
ultant warriors as they appeared over the crest
of the ridge and recognized the dilemma they
had too truly anticipated.
Terrible fears chilled my blood. In that
brief moment, as tho wild savages came char
ging down the hill, tumultuous thoughts of
home and friends, mingled with the bright an
ticipations, as long cherished, of a golden fu
ture in the land of promise, carao thronging
in wild confusion through my teeming brain.
There was one hope left, desperate as it
soerned ; but there ' was no time for delibera-1
tion, no opportunity for choice. Resistance
was madness. I was hemmed in on every
side tut one. Straight ahead .was my only
chance. I might flounder through, and, at all
events suffocation or capture in the bog was
no worse than instantaneous destruction where
I was. . . .
Dashing the rowels into the trembling ani
mal, I madly urged him forward. The soil
though covered with grass andapparantly firm
gave way at every step. Ploughing his way
by gigantic efforts, now for an instant raising
himself on some harder spot, then sinking
to his sadile-girths, urged by my frantic ex
ertions, terrified to phrensy by the appalling
ycll3 of the rapidly approaching enemy and
the shots which began to whistle around us,
tho noble animal toiled gallantly on and gain
ed the firm bank just as the dusky forms of my
pursuers, inf uriated at the possible loss, of
their prey, were clustering on the opposite
side, seeking a favorable spot to follow.
Their deliberation saved me. . It requited
a f trone control of reason to walk ray failing
horse slowly up the. hill while tho Indians
were floundering after me through the swamp.
But I rightly judged that a little breathing
time would not be wasted on him. I turned
the summit of the hill just as tho discemfitted
Indians were begining to crawl out from tho
bog, and again putting spurs to my jaded horse
once more we sprung forward in that madjaca
for life or d?ath. Onward we rushed, 'over
hills and valley, across streams and ravines,
in head-long flight, pursuers and pursued. -.
The timber which marked the camp grew
more and mere distinct; now for a moment
more concealed by an intervening hill, aiuJ
again as we flew over its summit rising near
er and clearer to view. My horse was rapidly
failing great flakes of foam Cow from his
mouth. Covered with mud and drenched
with sweat, he still, however, toiled gallantly
onward, spurning the sod of the prairie with
his flying hoofs. But the goal was nearly
won. Oh! if ho could hold his pace a little
longer ! The tireless mustangs of the Indians,
no match for his fleet limts in a short stretch,
now exhibited :iheit wonderful powers or en
durance. Onward they swept after us with
undiminished speed, their unshorn manes and
sweeping tails mingling with the flowing dra
pery of the wild riders and flying out upon
the wind.
The timber banks of the "Little Blue,"
which I had so eagerly longed for, had for
some moments been concealed by a long but
gentle swelling ascent, the summit of which I
was approaching. If from here the white wag
ens of our camp should be visible over the un
interrupted plain I should yet reach them.
But, chTif another of these interminable
ridges should intervene ! My poor horse was
on his last legs. But to perish in sight of
sifety, to bo taken in view of tho camp by
theso implacable savages ! My brain teemed
with these maddening doubts as I Beared the
spot which was to decide my fate, and I trem
bled with eagerness for tho view which might
consign me to despair.
I nearcd the summit; another bound and
wcwent over, and flying with faltering steps
down a long gentle inclination which swept
away iu gentle undulations to the longed for
timber, stiil about a mile ahead. 1 strained
my eyes for indications of comrades ; and oh !
rapture unspeakable ! far away, but directly
before me, nestling at the base of the long
dark line of cotton-wood, in full view cf the
panting fugitive, loomed up the white circle
of tents and wagon tons dearer to my long
ing gaze than to the desert worn pilgrim tho
lofty minarets and marble palaces of Eastern
story.
A shout cf triumph and exultation burst
from my lips as I discovered the welcome
scene and recognized the gate of my deliver
ance. I looked back. One after another
savage came bounding over tho ridge pres-
I :., ...:!, tt.n it-;!. f.-rv nf 1 inn T"oi ted
ig ou nu mi, . w -
! rage. But their practiced eyes were not slow
t tWiscover my reiuge, and one after another
pulled up his panting steed and gazetl witn
baffled malignity after their expected victim.
But I was saved! Covered with foam ana
sweat my gallant preserver burst iuto camp,
and, as I sprang from the saddle into the midst
of my startled comrades, with a groan of ex
haustion he sank quivering to the earth. The
faithful creature had toiled to the last ; he had
done his best, his powers were exhausted,
and yielding at last to utter prostration, he
stretched his weary limbs upon the sward, and
I thought that the last race of my gallant grey
was run. How I nursed him through the long
night, how I covered him with my own ."bcjc
ofbla'nkets and supplied him carefuliy and
cantiously with grass and water, how I trud
ged along on foot day after day for the next
two weeks, and cherished him like a feeble
child, I have not time to tell; but although
many a mile he carried me in after days over
these dreary deserts, and many a time brought
me alongside the flying buffalo in his mad ca
reer, yet never again did he run an eight mile
steeple-chass against the field, with fifty un
tamed coursers of the desert for his competi-.
tors and fifty painted warriors yelling in his
rear.
Is Philadelphia the citizens are employing
private watchmen to guard their dwellings,
having no confidence in the regular police.
COL. FREMONT.
A friend has called our attention to a very
striking testimonial to the talents and acquire
ment of Col. Fremont. It is found in an edi
tion of the Anabasis of Xenophon, prepared i
by Dr. J. Robertson, and published by Lippin- :
cott & Co., Philadelphia, in 1850. In the pre
face to this work, which Is dated Philadelphia,
August, 1300, Dr. Robertson, addressing him
self to the student for whose use his book was
designed, relates for their encouragement what
he calls "a very remarkable instance of patient
diligence and indomitable ptcverauce." We
subjoin his narrative :
'I;i the year 1827, after I had returned to
Charleston from Scotland, and my classes
were going on, a very respectable lawyer came
to my school, I think some time in the month
of October, with a youth apparently about six
teen, or perhaps not so much, of middle size,
graceful in manners, rather slender, but well
formed, and upon the whole, what I would call
handsome ; of a keen, piercing eye, and a no
ble forehead, seemingly the very seat of ge
nius. The gentleman stated that he found
him given to study, that he had been about
three weeks learning the Latin rudiments, and
(hoping, I suppose, to turn the youth's atten
tion from the law to the ministry,) had resolv
ed to place him under my care for the purpose
cf learning Greek, Latin and Mathematics, suf
ficient to enter Charleston college. I very
gladly received him, for I immediately per
ceived he was no common youth3as intelligence
beamed in his dark eye, and shone brightly on
his countenance, indicating great ability, aud
an assurance of his future progress. I at once
put him in the" highest class, just beginning to
read C.-esar's Commentaries, and although at
first inferior, his prodigious memory and en
thusiastic application soon enabled him to sur
pass the best. He began Greek at the same
time, and read with some who had been long
at it, in which he also soon excelled. In short,
in the space of one year, he had with the
class, and at odd hours with myself, read four
books of Caesar, Cornelius Xepos, Saliust, six
books of Tirgil, nearly all Horace, and two
books of Livy ; and in Greek, all Grreca Mi-
n-ora, W4 tk Holfof tlio fir at -relume of tf TUi-
ca Mi'jora, and four books of Homer's Iliad.
And whatever ho read, he retained. It seem
ed to me, in fact, that lie learned by mere in
tuition. I was myself utterly astonished, and
at the s.ime time delighted with his progress.
I have hinted above that he was designed for
the church, but when I contemplated his bold,
fearless disposition, his powerful inventive ge
nius, his admiration of warlike exploits, and
his love of heroic and adventnrons deeds, I
did not think it likely he would be a Minister
of the Gospel. He had not, however, the least
appearance of any vice whatever. 0;i tho
contrary, he was always the very pattern of
virtue and modesty. I could not help loving
him, so much did he captivate me by his gen
tlemanly conduct and extraordinary progress.
It was easy to see that he would one day raise
himself to eminence.
"Whilst under my instruction, I discovered
his early genius for poetic composition in the
following manner : When the Greek class read
the account that Herodotus gives of the battle
cf Marathon, the bravery cf Miltiados and tiis
ten thousand Greeks raised his patriotic feel
ings to enthusiasm, aud drew from him ex
pressions which I thought were embodied in a
few days afterward in some well written verses
in a Charleston paper, on mat ur-iauiuu une
qual but successful conflict against tyranny
and oppression, and suspecting my talented
scholar to be the author, I went to his desk,
and asked him if he did not write them ; ar.d
hesitating at first, rather blushingly, he con
fessed he did. I then said, "I knew you could
do such things, and I suppose you have some
such pieces by you which I should like to see.
Do bring them to me.' He consented, and in
a day or two brought me a number, which I
read with pleasure and admiration, at the
strong marks of genius stamped on all, but
here and there requiring, as I thought, a very
slight amendment.
'I had hired a mathematician to teach both
hira and myself, (for 1 could not teach that
science,) and in this he also made such won
derful progress, that at the end of ore year he
entered the Junior Class in Charleston College
triumphantly, whilst other3 who had been stu
dying four years and more were obliged to
take. the Sophomore Class. About the end of j
the year 1823 I left Charleston, but I heard he
highly distinguished himself, aud graduated
in 15520. After that ho taught mathematics
for some time, and then went to study law un
der a certain celebrated Senator. His career
afterwards has been one of heroic adventure,
of hair-breadtb escapes by flood and field, and
of scientific explorations which have made
him vrcrld-wide renowned. In a letter I re
ceived from him very lately, he expressed Lis
gratitude to me in the following words :-"I am
very far from either forgetting you, or neglec
ting you, or in , any way losing the old regard
I had for you. There is no time to which I
go back with more pleasure than that spent
I with ,y on, for there was no time so thoroughly
L well Spent, and of anything i nave learned, 1
remember nothing so well, and so distinctly,
as what I required with you.' Here I cannot
help saying that the merit was almost all his
own. It is true I encouraged aud cheered bim
on, but if the soil into which I put the seeds
of learning had not been of the richest quali
ty, they never would have sprung up to a liun
dred fold in full car. Such, my young friends,
is bat an imperfect sketch of my once beloved
and favorite pupil, now a Senator, and who
may yet rise to be at the head of this great
and growing Republic. My prayer is that he
may ever Iks opposed to war, injustice and op
pression of every kind, a blessing to his coun
try, and an example of every noble virtue to
the whole world."
23SOCES AND I-UHLITTGAI.tS.
The recent acts of the South Carolina ruf
fian, who has fit last relieved the House of Rep
resentatives from his presence, by resigning
his seat, are i;i strict keeping with thexlas
tardly deed which first brought him "promi
nently before the public. Thr.t l.c is at heart
an arrant coward, whilst it might have been
inferred from the mode and manner of bis at
tack upon Senator Sumner, has been most con
clusively established by the course he has
pursued in relation to his difficulty with Bur
linganie of Massachusetts. It will be remem
bered that the gentleman referred to delivered
in the House of Representatives the most elo
quent speech which the expulsion resolution
called forth, in which he commented upon the
Sumner outrage with just and scathing severi
ty. For this the gallant hero of the bludgeon
saw proper to challenge him to mortal combat.
Contrary to his expectations, iu all probabili
ty. Mr. Buriingamc promptly accepted the
challenge, fixed the Canada side of the Niag
ara river as the place of meeting, and after
sending Brooks word to that effect, repaired to
the city of New York, on his way thither.
After some deliberation and consultation with
his friends, the challenger concluded that dis
cretion was the better part of valor, and de
clined to follow his antagonist to the spot se
lected, i:pon the absnrd plea that he would
have to travel some seven hundred miles thro'
nu "enemy's country," and was liable to be
attacked a the way. This is essentially a
back out a showing of the white feather
for he would, have been perfectly safe ; not a
hair of his head would have been disturbed.
The true rcasaa i.s. J?ij!t iejs uVaiJ to mtct
Mr. Burlingame, who is a dead . shot. Aud
what will the South say to the conduct of their
champion, who had the courage to strike down
an unarmed Senator ? According to the 'code
of honor,' he is disgraced beyond redemption.
Mr. Burlingame subsequently returned to
Washington, and both parties are now under
bonds to keep the peace.
A Father asd Sox with Six Wives Arises.
The Manchester ( N. II. )Jrror, gives a long
account of the proceedings in that place and
in Rutland, Vt, of two men calling themse'.ves
Dr. Lyman A. Abbott and James H. Abbott,
said to be father and sou, who are now lfoth
under arrest on the chaige of bigamy. It is
slated that they have each, within a short pe
riod, married no less than six wives. The fa
ther passed at Manchester, N.I1-, as the "rich
old uncle'' cf his son, and in consequence of
his representations, the tradesmen cf Manches
ter were victimized to the amount of several
hundred dollars. The career of both parties
for a number of years is detailed in the?Jirror
with great minuteness. At Newark, X. J., in
18-31, the elder Abbott was married to Mrs. E
lizabeth Roberts, who soon discovered that he
had a wife living in Syracnse. N. Y. He was
consequently arrested for bigamy, convicted
and sentenced to ten years in the New Jersey
Penitentiary, but was pardoned out aft.-r seven
months' detention. A Mbs Gardiner, of West
moreland, X. II., states that she married the
same man, inder tho name of Dr. Lyman An
drews, ia 1Sj2. In Sussex comity,X. J-, i:i
1819, ho persuaded a Miss Sherman to elope
with him, and they were married by a Justice
. . r ... ...
of the Peace. He was soon sifter obliged to
abscond for'threatetiing his w ife's life in order
to obtain her properly. It was also ascertain
ed that tho true, original name of the "old
doctor" is Aaron Andrews Abbey, and the
trne name of the young man James Henry Ab
bey the latter being the eldeit son of the for
mer by his first wife. Both parties are hell
for trial.
The Committee on Elections of the United
States House of Representatives have repor
ted in favor of Governor Boeder's claim to a
seat in Congress, as Delegate from Kansas.
They decline to send the case ba?k to the peo- f
pie of Kansas for a new election, on account cf
the certainty of a repetition of the disgraco-
ful scenes which have attended previous elec
tions there ; and until the passage of an act, by
Congress, by which an election can be legally
held there, they recognize Governor Reeder
as the Delegate elected by the majority of the
citizens of Kansas. .
Commodore Robert F. Stockton has written
a letter withdrawing from the contest for tho
Presidency. His associate od the ticket,
Kenneth Rayner, withdrew some time ago
This slightly narrows the contest, one ticket
being entirely out of the field. - Fillmore, Fre
mont, Buchanan and Gerrit Smith are the on
ly men now regularly before the people as
candidates for the Presidency.
Advices from Key West, Florida, state that
a party of 15 volunteers had attacked a band
of Seminole Indians, numbering 75, on the
17th nit., and killed 17. The volunteers lost
one-third of their men, but succeeded in dis
persing the savages.
A LEAF TECH THE NATIONAL LELGEB.
An exchange, in a calculation o"the cost of
the public lands of nr domain, says that tho
equivalent which we give lor them amounts to
about a hundred millions of dollars. This wo
believe to be an altogether inadequate esti
mate. That this is an immense country, and
a growing one beside, and that it will invento
ry, as the merchants say, at a much higher fig
ure than $100,000,000, a glance at Uncle Sam
uel's real estate operations will satisfy tho
most incredulous. Beginning, then, in 1S03,
when w e first began as a nation to break a por
tion of the tenth section of the decalogue, w
purchased Louisiana from France, giving her
as au equivalent 11,250,000, besides making
out for her a receipt in full for obligations of
about r.n equal amount, for which she was pre
viously our debtor. This satisfied os for
while, until in 1819we.iaid $5,000,000 to
Spain in order to secure Florida. We then
disbursed 5100,000,000 more for the extin
guishiue;:t f the Indian title, an operation
which was afterwards succeeded by tho trans
fer of Texas iind the acquired Mexican terri
tory, at a cost of $2-3,000,000, more. If we
then sum up the figures and add $3,000,000,
which is a k w estimate for the expense of sur
veying this extensive territory, we find tho
sum total to be one hundred and sixty odd
millions of dollars, not counting the expens
cf the Florida, the Mexican, and the contin
ued Indian wars. At the present time, say
De Bow's statistics, the U. S. own fifteen hun
dred million of acres of land, which arc worth,
to it two billions of dollars. What a glorious
picture is here presented of the "responsibil
ity," according to commercial parlance, of
this great nation ! All these immense sums
have been paid at maturity, and yet taxation
has rested as lightly upon the shoulders of tho
people as dew upon summer foliage.
We are apt to felicitate ourselves upon liv
ing ia a progressive era. We do ; but whoev
er lives to sec a centuiy hence, when all this
huge domain is under cultivation and every
acre is occupied by colleges, newspaper offices,
telegraph stations, model farms and machino
shops, will witness the prosperity of a country
teeming with a population of 500,000,000 of
souls. If wickedness don't keep pace with
progress in the arts, and the world is not pre-maturel-
destroyed for its presumption, tho
greatest country that ever had an existenco
upon its surface will be these United States !
It is as certain as certainty itself.
A Trtk Sabmixt. The other morning as'
Father O'Nci! mounted the rostrnm of the cha
pel at Bathfeyland, having just come over from
Ballygraddy on his one-eyed minus-tailed
shetty. which was tied to a post behind tha
chapel, he thus addressed his assembled con
gregation : "My friends tarn wid -me if ya
plaze. as the subject of our morning's medita
tions, to Taul's Epistle to the Romans. But I
may as well tell you that some of ye knows as
little about what an Epistle manes as a Con
naught pig knows about plaiting a shirt front.
But an epistle, let me inform ye, is neither
more nor less than alether; and that Paul
wrote this 1 ether and addhrcsscd it is ivident
tons all, but whether he saled the lether, or
merely stuck a wafer into it, all the commen
tators I have consulted have not been able to
inform r.ie. Howsureever, my friends, he did
not address it to them dirthy Episcopalians,
northern sehurvy Presbyterians, nor to them
theeven Unitarians, nor any of them Herctic
onaiians. No! he addressed it to you my
friends the Romans. 1 intend to divide ray
discourse this morning into three heads. Tha
first will trnte on something that I know my
self, and that niver a one o' ye knows a ha
pmth about. In tho second place, I mane to
sprko t' ye about something yourselves know
I ,, bcnt " nDj j j.rovr nolh;ng about rneself ;
and in the third place I mane to spake to ye
about something that nakher you nor I knows
anj thing about at all, at all. In the first place
then as I was mounting my nag this morning
to come (o praich to ye here, I tore a thump
ing hole in the knay of my black throisers,
and ye knew nothing about that. In the sec
ond place yon know when you're going to give
me a new pair, and 1 don't ; and thnrdly, we
don't know what that l'rottistant tailor oover
the wav will be after charging ns for thim."
It is now evident thot Messrs. Toombs and
r Don "las, i i',e preparation of their Kansas
hav been acting iu concert with tho
i
I r
Missouri propagandists of Slavery. By a tele
graphic dispatch from. St. Louis, wo learn
that a hand-bill was issued on the 8th of July
by Stringfeflow and his associates, calling up
on alb good. Missourians to go over into the
T.I-..;i.. t.f.ra V lf r,r Inormt as in hn
in readiness to vote at the November election.
There can . be. 5w question that ;it the Senate
bill should become a law, hundreds of the bor
der ruffians, would- be enrolled by tho commis
sioners whom the- l'ref ident is authorized to
appoint, and, ias.tbry leave repeatedly dono
heretofore, defeat "..ihV: wishespf the actual
residents. '
The Mammoth Cave-. An nuknown pas
sage some two miles in length was discovered
in tho Mammoth Cave. Kentucky, on thcL?
111SI. A inn iaa;i:;c is iu
Jiers far surpassing 8tk
both in extct- ,
the wh .